Similar systems in Estonia and abroad
Currently there are a many similar alternative applications for mobile
devices but the variety of options they offer is smaller than the 3S is planned
to have. Also they do not provide in-store navigation assistance or most of
them even the map of the store. Only two of Estonian supermarket chains (Prisma
and Selver) offer somewhat of a shopping assistance services like the 3S is
planned to have. Then again Prisma and Selver’s systems have a lack of features
when compared to the 3S.
For instance an application Grocery King Shopping List enables co-composing
of shopping lists, alerts when a store is being close, browsing recipes in
order to add ingredients to the list and viewing of shopping history. Also
scanning of bar codes is possible with this currently only Android-designated
product in order to have an overview of the previous purchases. The application
is not free, costing 3.99EUR (Google, 2013)
Menu for creating a shopping list with Grocery King Shopping List.
Grocery King Shopping List is similar to 3S with
its grocery list synchronization, bar code scanning and shopping history
features. At the same time it doesn’t offer self check-out and it’s not free
for the end user. With over than 10 000 installs it has a head start and
more feedback than our product. It also might benefit from its simple design and the images next to the name of the item that enable easier list composition and crossing the items off. Then again the features planned to join
together will make 3S a full shopping assistant that at least in Estonia, where
such assistants are not too common yet, would try to conquer the market with
its Estonian-market-designed features (language, database, store maps etc.)
Crossed off items at the menu of Grocery King Shopping List.
A free application AnyList is simpler than the previously described application
and it only offers list sharing, categorizing the products, voice commands and browsing
recipes with automatically adding the ingredients to the shopping list (Apple, 2013).
AnyList enables transferring ingredients from a recipe to the shopping list.
The similarities between 3S
and AnyList are list sharing, product categorization and being free. At the
moment browsing recipes and adding ingredients to the list is not a feature
planned for the 3S but it is a possibility for future development. Compared to
AnyList 3S offers more features, such as barcode scanning for both list
creation and self checkout, also the in-store navigation is a feature that
AnyList does not have. Having both of the applications free for the end user is
definitely a big advantage for them. Also having offers for items as seen on a screenshot below is useful. Then again an application tailored
specially for the Estonian market would probably gain more popularity here.
The app AnyList also helps with searching for the required goods from the list.
In Estonia a couple of different options also exist for self check-out. For
instance Selver uses self check-out scanners that everyone can carry around the
store with them. Scanners have become reasonably popular suggesting that
customers see them as useful. But the scanners are the only feature from the
options of 3S that Selver offers, showing that there’s room for improvement. Selver’s
strength with the scanners is that the interface in the scanner is easy to use
and they enable faster shopping. But the problem with those scanners is that
before using it one needs to be a member of Selver’s customer program and
identify himself with Selver’s Partner card. The membership issue is a big disadvantage
that limits people from using the scanners, especially since many find out
about it at the store and not previously.
The self check-out scanner for Selver.
The payment terminal in Selver.
Prisma on the other hand provides self check-out registers for customers
who don’t want to use a register with a cashier. Prisma also doesn’t require a user
to be a member of the customer program and their registers have also proven to
be popular amongst people who are willing to listen to the instructions from
the register and act exactly as told. The company also offers a shopping list
creation feature on their webpage but the options there are limited with only
typing in what you need (no database behind it) and then either printing it out
or e-mailing the list to an e-mail address. The advantage of a self check-out system
like this is the time saved from not standing in a line. Then again the
check-out system could be made a bit simpler with less required instructions. The
similarities between Prisma’s options and 3S are the ideas of offering list creation
and self check-out. The actual features offered are nothing alike and therefore
3S could fill the gap for bigger customer satisfaction.
Prisma's shopping list creator is rather primitive and the categories shown are just illustrative.
References
Apple. (2013, 12 10). AnyList.
Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Apple iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/anylist-grocery-shopping-list/id522167641
Apple. (2013, 11 14). ScanLife.
Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Apple iTunes:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scanlife-barcode-scanner-qr/id285324287?mt=8
Google. (2013, 12 1). BarcodeScanner.
Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Google Play webpage:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.zxing.client.android
Google. (2013, 12 8). Grocery
King Shopping List. Retrieved 12 18, 2013, from Google Play webpage:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.groceryking&hl=et
Prisma. (2014, 02 9). Prisma peremarket. Retrieved 02 09, 2014, from Prisma Peremaket webpage: https://www.prismamarket.ee/ostunimekiriSelver. (2014, 02 9). Selver. Retrieved 02 09, 2014, from Selver webpage: https://www. selver.ee/selveekspress/
